I have been pondering on the myriad elements, concepts, strategies and ideas that unity embodies. It is a virtue whose practice is limited only by my understanding of what it is and my understanding is what needs to expand. All of what ails our world, our nations, our communities, our neighbourhoods and our families, can be remedied by intentional and determined practices of unity. This I firmly believe. By educating ourselves to develop the capacities to direct our energies in ways that promote unity and not fueling those forces, overt and covert, that serve to prohibit and restrict its growth is the only way forward. I have an opportunity to work with organisations that are seeking to learn about and understand equity, diversity and inclusion. I have been wracking my brain and agonising over how I will pitch my ideas to their front line people who are considering whether to hire me. Part of my procrastination on drafting a proposal has been those pesky niggling feelings of unworthiness and on the other hand the sheer scale and magnitude of the work that is required. I realise though that when speaking with them, that they have the idea that a short workshop may be undertaken by those in these organisations and then miraculously they qualify as embracing equity, diversity and inclusion. A quick, short, sharp and incisive shock delivered in a manner that will not take up too much time or money. This was bothering me and I could not quite put my finger on why. I see now it stems from how one views the situation. I see the work from an emotional standpoint that involves the connections of the heart that take time to transform. This view is not expedient or even in the realm of possibility from a business standpoint. This view of unity and the effort and exertion it takes to build, they do not see. This is what I then need to bring into their realm of possibility. I see emerging before me workshops that include the virtues, exercises in empathy and consultation, conversations around race unity and lived experiences. It needs to be a celebration of who we are as people now and how that when we introduce difference into our comfortable well ordered lives and disrupt our complacency, that good things, strong relationships, prosperous futures await us. This is the view that unity offers me, and this is the view I intend to strive to offer in my proposal to these organisations. It has no immediate monetary outcome attached. I need to find language around sharing how when we build capacity in everyone, and that energy is released through thoughts and actions that the possibilities are beyond our imagination. I will repeat this quotation often by Baha'u'llah, the prophet founder of the Baha'i Faith, to orient myself as I face this task: "The well-being of society, its peace and security, is unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established..."
Challenge is getting buy in from the organization, with a sense of confidence. Creating programs that will give the spark of unity, first requires the gathering of spiritual kindling, preparing the ground in the organizations before the flame of unity can take hold. This requires accompaniment through the process of building unity. It starts with the intention to create unity.
Classes and workshops may serve to initiate new ideas but real change can only take place in the heart. It takes time, personal commitment and effort. While education, legislation and forums are all tools that will support this effort only true individual work will bring about positive change. As you said, that takes time. We have become accustomed to instant gratification and that it can come from outside. We need to return to the idea that it takes work to find success and that work is internal to a large degree.